Government watch

U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, is asking constituents of the 12th congressional district who have questions about consumer credit and/or mortgages to participate in a "telephone town hall” Wednesday evening in which Speier and counselors from San Francisco’s nonprofit Consumer Credit Counseling Service will be available to answer questions.

Speier has held a number of telephone town halls since taking office last April but this is the first one to have one specific topic. Generally, calls are placed randomly throughout the district and constituents stay on the call to ask questions or hear from Speier. Anyone signing up by Wednesday afternoon will be included in the call, supplemented with random calls in areas of the district most impacted by foreclosures and consumer debt, according to her office.

The telephone town hall meeting will take place from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. April 1. To participate visit www.speier.house.gov, click on townhalls and follow the instructions.

• Speier is introducing legislation that would authorize a $1,000 rebate for anyone purchasing a 2009 vehicle with a 28 miles per gallon rating. The amount increases for more efficient vehicles, topping out at $2,500 for cars getting 33 mpg or more. For 2010, the efficiency requirements will increase by 2 mpg. Thereafter, the government would set mileage requirements so previous mileage goals for 2020 are achieved by 2015.

Speier sits on the Select Committee on Global Warming and Energy Independence and plans on introducing the bill this week.

State government

• Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, presented his March 2009 Environmental Leadership Award to Intraline Inc. headquartered in Burlingame. This monthly award is given to entities within the 19th Assembly District that demonstrate environmentally sound and sustainable practices. Intraline specializes in the sourcing and supply of power utility and industrial products used to keep facilities and equipment up and running with a special emphasis on sustainable products and practices. In the early 1990s, it introduced the fluorescent circle line lamp to Pacific Gas and Electric and went on to help distribute millions of lamps to PG&E customers through various programs.

In July of 2008, Intraline became a certified Bay Area Green Business because of its efforts to conserve resources, prevent pollution and minimize waste.

City government

• A store featuring new and used guns as well as law enforcement supplies is proposed for 1103 Airport Blvd. in South San Francisco. On Thursday, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing regarding the store. Plans call for the store to be open 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday. Though primarily aimed at serving law enforcement, the store will also be open to the public.

The building would be under 24-hour real-time remote Internet-based camera recording to a secure computer unit. Those wishing to enter the store would need to ring the front doorbell and be admitted by the store employee via remote control. Once inside, customers would enter a waiting area separate from the sales area. Customers must show identification to prove they are 18 prior to entering the sales floor. Firearms will not be visible from the waiting area or the street. All firearms will be stored within secure display cases. All rifles and long guns will be in secure racks inaccessible to customers. About 100 firearms — including handguns, shotguns and rifles — will be on hand daily. Guns will be stored in a fireproof gun safe when the store is closed. Security bars will be installed on the interior of the windows for additional security.

•Plans to open a retail bakery outlet and cafe at Bay Baking Company, Inc., an existing commercial bakery at 121 S. Maple Ave., will be discussed during a public hearing. The proposal would convert 400 square feet of the office area into a retail bakery outlet and cafe to be open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

•The commission will consider granting a one-year extension to the construction of a five-story, 151,000 square-foot administration building on the upper campus within the Genentech Research and Development Overlay District. The building is the third and final addition to Genentech’s administration complex. Plans were given a two-year approval April 5, 2007. If the extension were approved, the new deadline would be April 5, 2010.

The commission meets 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2 at the Municipal Services Building, 33 Arroyo Drive in South San Francisco.

Education

• The San Mateo County Community College District Board of Trustees will consider awarding a $12 million contract to Segue Construction for construction of the Cañada Vista housing project at Cañada College in Redwood City.

The board meets 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 1 at the District Office board room, 3401 CSM Drive, San Mateo.